THE ALLIANCE
976 Words
Webb called at midnight.
"I found him," he said.
I sat up in bed. Julian stirred beside me, then stilled, respecting the privacy of the call.
"Who?"
"The man who leaked the documents. His name is Victor Park. He's a freelance journalist who's been investigating the Sterling family for three years."
"A journalist?"
"A journalist with a grudge." Webb's voice was tired. "His sister was one of the women Daniel married. The second one, I think. She killed herself two years ago."
I felt the air leave my lungs.
"His sister killed herself?"
"She left a note. Mentioned Daniel by name. Said he'd ruined her life." There was a pause. "Victor's been trying to prove it ever since. When he got access to your files, he took the opportunity."
"How did he get access to my files?"
"He hacked Webb's system. The one I told you was secure." Webb's voice was bitter. "He's good. Better than me, apparently."
"What happens now?"
"Now I turn everything over to the police. Victor broke the law. He may have destroyed your case."
"My case?"
"The void clause. The divorce. All of it." Webb sighed. "If Victor's leak is seen as tampering with evidence, Daniel's lawyers could argue that the documents can't be used in court."
I closed my eyes.
"Maya," Webb said, "I'm sorry. I should have protected your files better."
"Just find Victor," I said. "Before someone else gets hurt."
---
I didn't sleep after that.
I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, while Julian's breathing slowed beside me. He'd fallen back asleep, trusting that I would wake him if I needed him.
I didn't wake him.
I just lay there, thinking about Victor Park's sister. A woman I'd never met. A woman who had signed a contract, married Daniel, and then killed herself when she couldn't escape.
That could have been me.
If I hadn't built my business. If I hadn't found the void clause. If I hadn't had Helen and Lena and Julian in my corner.
I could have been the woman who left a note.
---
The next morning, I went to see Helen.
She was already in her office, coffee in hand, dark circles under her eyes. She looked like she hadn't slept either.
"Webb called you," I said.
"He called me at eleven. Then again at one. Then again at four." She set down her coffee. "Victor Park. I remember that name. He tried to publish a story about the Sterlings two years ago. No one would take it."
"Now everyone's taking it."
"Now everyone's taking it." Helen leaned back in her chair. "The question is what we do about it."
"Can Daniel's lawyers really argue that the documents can't be used in court?"
"They can argue anything. Whether they win is another story." She rubbed her temples. "The good news is that Victor didn't leak everything. He leaked enough to get attention, but he held back the most damaging evidence."
"What evidence?"
"The affidavits from the other women. The financial records. The handwritten note from Marcus Sterling." Helen smiled. "Victor wanted to expose the Sterlings, but he didn't want to destroy your case. He's not stupid."
"Then we still have a chance."
"We still have a chance." Helen leaned forward. "But we need to move fast. The wedding is in two weeks. Daniel's lawyers are going to try to delay the divorce until after the wedding. If he marries Vanessa before the void clause activates—"
"He can't marry Vanessa. She knows everything now."
Helen raised an eyebrow. "She knows?"
"I told her. About the contract. About the other women. About Sabrina Cole." I met her eyes. "She's not going to marry him."
"Are you sure?"
"No. But I'm hopeful."
Helen was quiet for a moment.
"You've changed," she said.
"Changed how?"
"When you first came to me, all you wanted was revenge. Now you're worried about your sister. Now you're protecting a woman you barely knew existed six months ago." She tilted her head. "That's growth, Maya."
"I don't feel like I've grown. I feel like I've been running in place for five years, and now I'm finally standing still."
"Standing still is underrated." Helen picked up her coffee. "It gives you time to see where you're going."
---
I left Helen's office and drove to the hospital.
Marcus Sterling was in the ICU. The nurses said he was stable but unconscious. They said only family could visit.
"I'm his daughter-in-law," I said.
The nurse looked at me. Then at her computer. Then back at me.
"Name?"
"Maya Sterling."
She typed something. Nodded. "Room 412. He's not awake, but you can sit with him if you like."
I walked to room 412.
Marcus was in the bed, surrounded by machines. He looked smaller than I remembered. Older. The silver hair was thin against the pillow. The hands that had threatened me were limp at his sides.
I sat in the chair beside his bed.
"I don't know why I'm here," I said.
The machines beeped. Marcus didn't respond.
"I thought I would feel different. Victorious, maybe. You threatened me. You tried to destroy me. And now you're lying in a hospital bed, and I should be happy."
I wasn't happy.
"I just feel tired," I said. "I've been fighting for so long. I don't remember what it feels like to not be at war."
Marcus's chest rose and fell. The machines beeped.
"I'm going to win," I said. "Not because I'm better than you. Because I'm done letting people like you tell me I don't matter."
I stood up.
"I hope you wake up, Marcus. I hope you have to watch your son lose everything. I hope you have to live with what you did to those women."
I walked to the door. Paused.
"And I hope you rot."
- Writer
